۞ Surely, in Joseph and his brothers there are signs for the inquirers. 7 When they said, 'Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a band. Surely our father is in manifest error. 8 Kill you Joseph, or cast him forth into some land, that your father's face may be free for you, and thereafter you may be a righteous people.' 9 Another of them said: "Do not slay Joseph, but - rather - if you must do something - cast him into the dark depths of this well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up." 10 (Then going to their father) they said: "O father, why don't you trust us with Joseph? We are in fact his well-wishers. 11 Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play. And lo! we shall take good care of him. 12 [Jacob] said, "It would indeed grieve me if you took him away with you, and I fear lest the wolf should devour him while you are off your guard." 13 They said: "If a wolf devours him, while we are 'Usbah (a strong group) (to guard him), then surely, we are the losers." 14 So, when they took him out they planned to throw him into an unused well. We revealed to Joseph: "You will tell them (one day) of this deed when they will not apprehend it." 15 And they came to their father at night, weeping. 16 They said: our father! we went off competing, and left Yusuf by our stuff, so a wolf devoured him; and thou wilt put no credence in us, even though we are the truth-tellers. 17 And they brought his shirt (stained) with blood, a lie. He said: 'No, your souls have tempted you to do something. But come sweet patience! The help of Allah is always there to seek against that which you describe' 18 A caravan happened to pass, and sent the water-carrier to bring water from the well. He let down his bucket (and pulled Joseph up with it). "What luck," said the man; "here is a boy;" and they hid him as an item of merchandise; but what they did was known to God. 19 Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value. 20